Research, Internship, and Student Engagement
About our Program
DucksRISE (Research, Internship & Student Engagement) is a new six-month, cohort-based program focused on bringing into effect equitable post-graduation outcomes for underserved students at UO, centering BIPOC, first generation, and low-income students. DucksRISE fosters community building and a sense of belonging through educational activities, career exploration and readiness, professional development, tailored connections, and mentorship experiences.
Students will develop career skills and competencies through a one-credit upper-division career readiness seminar followed by a flexible experiential opportunity. Experiential opportunities range from internships, research fellowships, job shadowing opportunities, study abroad, and more.
Program Highlights
Community Building
- Facilitating connections to networks of peers, campus groups, community members, and alumni who share similar identities and experiences.
- Alleviating barriers to participation by providing tuition remission for the 1 credit seminar, and partnering with paid internship & research opportunities.
- Providing catered social and educational events, movie nights, and opportunities for peer connections and meaningful conversations.
Professional Development
- Discussion and development of NACE professional competencies, resume/cover letter writing, interview tips, mock interviews, and online presence.
- Career exploration and goal setting.
- Access to workshops, panel presentations, guest speakers, and alumni connections.
- Direct support, mentorship, and wrap around services from program staff.
- Free Professional Headshots
DucksRISE Research Fellowship | DRRF
- Thanks to funding by UESS, up to 10 research fellowships will be awarded to DucksRISE students to explore and engage in research and creative work under the mentorship of a UO faculty member, full-time for a minimum of 8 weeks during Summer 2022.
- DucksRISE Research Fellows will receive a 4K stipend and faculty mentors a 1K stipend.
Portland Internship Experience | PIE
- PIE offers opportunities for students to gain professional experience while making a difference in the community. Interns receive a $5,000 stipend while working full time at a small business, non-profit, civic or educational organization in the Portland area over the summer. In addition, participants have access to professional development, support services, and social events with fellow interns.
- Innovative partnership and collaboration allowed for 10 reserved spots for DucksRISE students.
Eligibility & Admissions
DucksRISE is a developing program open to currently enrolled UO students of any class standing who self-identify as BIPOC, first gen, and/or low-income.
While the program is tailored for Sophomores and Juniors, Freshman are welcome to participate if they are ready to start their career exploration journey. Senior standing students who can fully participate in the 6-month program and do not intend to graduate prior to program completion are also welcome to apply.
Incoming students interested in the program are encouraged to apply for the next available cohort term once they are enrolled.
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Applications are now being accepted for the F22 Cohort!
Connect With Us
Email ducksrise@uoregon.edu with any questions or concerns.
Follow us on Instagram (@uoducksrise) for the latest news & events. ________________________________________________________
DucksRISE Program Manager
Feather Crawford (she/her)
DucksRISE Program Assistant
Sandra Castro (she/her/ella)
Strada Education Network, in partnership with the Taskforce on Higher Education and Opportunity, launched the Beyond Completion Challenge to support higher education institutions to identify and expand new solutions that will improve career and life opportunities for more students. They launched the grant challenge with the understanding that students need an educational experience that connects learning with employment so that all students can secure a good job, do meaningful work, and lead a fulfilling life.
DucksRISE was granted this funding because the program specifically meets the needs of underrepresented student populations to achieve equitable success and opportunity. The University of Oregon can make substantive progress in equitable career outcomes through an integrated approach to career readiness embedded into the core of the student experience, both in and out of the classroom at a research university. We propose the creation of Ducks RISE, a program empowers underrepresented minorities and low-income students for career success through Research, Internships, and Student Experiences. DucksRISE will allow the university to establish best practices for a cohort-based career development program which can be replicated and scaled to expand the reach and impact.